Chapter 24

*Aiden’s POV*
Im heading up to my room after being dismissed from the meeting. My feelings towards Athena’s mate are complicated. Im gone for over a week, to find out that my sister is mated to the Lunar Alpha. I want to be happy for her and I want to support her. However, we don’t really know him. He just shows up out of the blue right after the attack. That can’t just be a coincidence. I wouldn’t put eventual betrayal past him just yet. For my sisters sake, ill give him a chance. If he screws up, ill kill him myself.
I am stepping up the stairs, pondering on my suspicions. Then suddenly my vision becomes hazy and I stumble slightly on a step. What the hell was that? I close my eyes for a moment and relax my mind. It must be all the stress.
I open my eyes and the dizziness is gone and I cautiously continue going up step by step. I finally reach the final step and make way towards my room.
“Aiden.” A very quiet whisper makes its way into my ear. I go on alert and examine my surroundings. There is no one in the hall way and no doors are open. I am alone.
“Who’s there?” I yell out into the empty hall way, and I am surrounded by a deafening silence. This is eerie. I don’t like this one bit. I am filled with a intense desire to go and take the herbs from Freya. I have been taking them just like she instructed so there shouldn’t be an issue with that, but still. Maybe I should go take more just in case.
“Apollo do you sense anything?” I ask my wolf. I can feel something dark and sinister in the air.
“There is a presence here, but it is really faint and hidden.” He says in a low growl. I go to turn the knob of my room and then a sudden and intense pain pieces my skull.
I hold my head and the pounding of my head permeates my ears. This is how the migraine was when I was inflicted with that curse but this time its way more intense. The pain becomes worse and its to the point my body wants to give up. The pain starts to spread and it takes over my entire body. Every part of me is burning with the excruciating pain. I collapse to the ground and scream in agony.
“Apollo! What’s going on?” I yell in my head and I can hear him whimpering. This pain is attacking him too. I can feel his agony tied with mine, but what’s attacking him is much worse.
“I don’t know, Aiden! What ever it is, make it stop!” He cries. I can start to feel my connection to him fading. Like he is being dragged away by chains. His whimpers become so quiet I can hardly hear him.
Right as I’m about to lose consciousness, the pain stops entirely. My breathing is out of control and my body slacks with some relief. My whole body aches from that sudden take in of pain. I open my eyes and go to stand up. I manage to stand up and my legs almost feel like jelly. I take a step and almost go tumbling down. I take a moment and calm my nerves and my body eventually calms down.
I go to turn the knob to my room again, and take a step in.
“Hello Aiden.” A feminine voice sounds behind me. I quickly turn around and find a woman with familiar bright yellow eyes staring back at me. Her body is slightly hazy and not completely defined. She is wearing a flowing black dress and her dark hair have small sparkling objects in them, like tiny black stars. It is also tied in a high pony tail and her skin is slightly transparent. She almost looks like a detailed shadow. It’s that damn woman who cursed me. She is smiling that can be mistaken for friendly but I can see the vileness behind it.
“What the hell did you do to me?” I growl and take a threatening step towards her.
“I had to reestablish my connection to your pretty mind. Since that little good witch put my spell into dormancy, I needed to break down the defenses that were set. Which is proving quite difficult.” She says and tilts her head in interest. “I’m quite impressed she was able to do this, but not to worry. When I’m done having my pleasant conversation with you. The shields will be broken.” Her smile widens and beams with wickedness. She circles me like a predator stalking its prey.
“How are you here right now? How did you get past the pack warriors guarding the border?” I follow her gaze and question her.
“Oh sweetness, I’m not actually here. Its only one of my favorite little tricks. Since I reestablished our little connection I am appearing to you as a shadow astral form. I guess you can say this form is a hallucination that can only make physical contact with you.” She whispers in my ear and drags her long finger across my back. How disgusting.
“I will find you, and I will make you pay for everything you did!” I shout and go in for the attack. I lunge at her but I make no contact. Her body disappears into thin air and reappears a few feet away.
“Now, now sweetheart. While you are still yourself, I want to tell you about the fantastic plans that are in store for you. “ She slightly chuckles and snaps her fingers loudly. My arms are then strained to my sides and I’m forced to my knees. It’s almost as if I’m tied by an invisible rope. I struggle to get out of the binding but its pointless. The door is slammed behind me so there won’t be any witnesses.
“Let me go you witch!” I yell.
“Lets not get too far ahead of ourselves, gorgeous.” She giggles and snaps her fingers again and this time my lips become sealed. Now matter how much I try my lips won’t part.
She turns and floats to the bed almost like a ghost. She sits, crosses her legs, and looks at me with a devilish grin. “Let me introduce myself, I am Sybil. I am a witch who Is, I guess you can say, employed by Damon. Leader of the rogues that your pack is desperately looking for.” She sighs and continues. “Before you start wondering, yes he knows about the little crusade your pack sent after us, and he knows Silas is here.”
My eyes widen in revelation. How the hell does she know all that? There’s no way she couldn’t know that information, unless….
“What? Never considered there may be a traitor in your midst?.” She chuckles. “Anyway, Damon has big plans for you. He envisions a new world. A world of werewolf domination. Werewolves and other supernatural species wont have to hide in fear of being discovered anymore. Under his rule, this world will be turned away from the humans and into the hands of werewolves. Because of his vision he was thrown out of his pack, along with his followers. You have a large role to play in his plan. However, now its starting to change. You are no longer perceived as the strongest werewolf of the strongest pack.” My eyes widen. No, she can’t mean she’s going for Athena. I need to warn her. I need to warn the whole pack. Who could possibly be the traitor? It must be the Lunar Alpha or Beta. There is no other explanation. There isn’t anyone in this pack that would betray us. I try to struggle from her grip but I make no progress of being untangled. She sees my struggle and tightens the grip of her binds.

“Now, now, let me finish. You still have a big role to play. He needs you to capture your pretty little sister for him. As the White Wolf, she is the key for control and domination. Even though she doesn’t know her full strength, she is still far too powerful to be captured by any of us. We need someone who she loves and trusts to get her here. He needs you and your pack as his army, and your sister as his side. As the most powerful female wolf, the world will cower at the hands of her power. Only then, will his vision be fulfilled.”
I can feel my eyes become glazed with disgust. I manage to break through the seal she placed on my lips and allow my thoughts become words. “I will never aid him in this madness. If he ever touches my sister ill rip him to pieces.” I growl with fury. She gets up and approaches me. I can’t let her or Damon fulfill this evil scheme. I won’t let them.
“Who said you have a choice in the matter?” She places a ghostly hand on my head and closes her eyes. “There, the final layer is now broken. Time to once again become your best self, gorgeous.” She cackles loudly and her eyes begin to glow. Items in my room begin to shakes almost like an earthquake. The piercing pain begins where her hand is placed on my head and everything goes black. I feel myself lose all connection to Apollo and my body. Then I am once again falling in the endless abyss of despair and locked away. I am unable to regain control of my body and unable to warn my sister of the coming danger.